My Future with the Church

There are a number of churches that have really impacted me over the years since my return to church life. I have been thinking a lot lately about each of their impacts and praying for some discernment on what this might mean for my future as a pastor.

Mercy Street was the first church that I held membership in after about a 15 year absence from church rolls everywhere. It is the place where I was accepted right where I was at and loved when I couldn't even love myself. It was the place that really communicated the gospel to me in ways that I was able to understand it. And it is the place that I encountered Christ as my Lord and Savior and gave my life to him in ways that I had never been able to do before. It is a place where you can truly get a glimpse of heaven as addicts, alcoholics, workaholics, real people with real problems and genuine faith get together to worship together and grow in their relationship with Christ. I had the opportunity to work for this church as an intern and it is by far one of the best things i ever did.

Chapelwood United Methodist (the place where Mercy Street meets) deepened my relationship, honed my gifts, recognized graces in me that I was unable to see and taught me a lot about service and teaching as I worked and volunteered with them for many years. They have supported me in my call to pastoral ministry and have been a continued blessing in mine and my wife's life.

Terrace United Methodist was another church that impacted me. As we began to move from just feeding a group of "sheltered" folks on an annual basis to actually living with them in mission and ministry throughout the year, I learned a lot about vision and compassion...and in hindsight, probably more about how to cast vision in healthy and non-conflictive ways. The real blessing has been to watch what has happened with the church as the laity have really stepped up and owned this vision.

Glide United Methodist Church is a church in San Francisco that has had a part of my heart since I first visited there many years ago. It was on that visit that I first learned of their daily downtown ministry. It was on that visit that I witnessed and participated in worship with other tourists, transvestites, homeless folks, business people, Asians, African Americans, Hispanics, prostitutes...a smattering of races and social and economic backgrounds all under one roof for worship...surely that is what heaven will be like!

Lagniappe Presbyterian Church also dramatically moved me. After the storms that pounded the Gulf of Mexico a few years ago, the pastors and staff of Lagniappe moved in and began to serve the people that had lost homes and businesses in genuine ways. They continue in the rebuilding efforts to this day. We participated in a week long mission trip down there and I am amazed at the way that this church serves as Christ to the world...going out to the ones that are in need and serving them where they are at. It is a look at the great commission that is in your face and radically Christ centered. I can't imagine anyone serving with them in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and not coming back a changed person.

My time here at Edom United Methodist Church has taught me a lot about being a pastor and a lot more about my own wiring and spiritual gifts. Because of my experiences outlined above, I am recognizing more and more my desire to be more connected to those in need. That's probably why when we took the youth to Houston we worked at Medical Bridges, the Bread of Life, and handed out care packages to the homeless in the wards of Houston.

It is clear (clearly muddy, anyway) that my call is being shaped and defined by the least in our midst. I have been having some really clear visions of the church and how I would like to serve. I continue to pray for discernment and guidance...and it is been occurring to me that a church plant might be involved in the future. What would it look like to move into an area and establish a church that serves its community 7 days a week? What would a genuinely authentic community of faith look like in areas that are impoverished or otherwise in need?

I am going to meet next week with someone who is planting a church with the United Methodist Church here in the Texas Annual Conference to talk about these things and see what the process looks like in our denomination. I am also talking to those who have transformed or served established churches that have a real service orientation as a part of their discipleship process. I am trying to remain open to what God is doing. I am anxious and excited to see what the future might have in store and I will update you as this process continues to unfold.

Tell me about your vision of the church and your participation in its life and ministry. What makes a church a church? How do you serve or expect to serve in the future?

Until next time,

Russell